Tag Archives: wine

This fun pattern is based on an enameled metal sign I saw outside the Hotel Le Tropicana in Douville, France. I thought it was a really charming sign and I immediately knew that I would stitch one for myself someday.

We stayed at this hotel as the 2014 Tour de France individual time trial (ITT) stage passed very close by. In a previous blog post, I shared a little about why the ITT is our favorite stage to watch and some highlights and videos of the Tour.

I’m going to repeat myself a bit from that same previous post: “One of my favorite finds of the summer was very near our hotel. There is a nice little campground with a lake, [and] this is one of the signs around the lake:

The English part of the sign really means to say ‘Swimming in the lake is prohibited,’ so one can only assume this is just a spectacular web-based translation fail.” Although this sign is a cute favorite, I don’t plan on creating a cross stitch pattern based on it.

I’ve always been curious about the date on the plaque – 24 September 1941. This was after France fell to the Germans in World War II. There are few other images of this plaque on the web, but the ones I have seen have the same date. So was this liquor license law something that was in legislative process before the German invasion, or was this law something that the Germans insisted upon during their occupation? I’d enjoy to hear any insights into the matter.

This French liquor license cross stitch pattern is a perfect project for your favorite Francophiles (fans of French culture), oenophiles (fans of wine), and beer connoisseurs. It would look great in a kitchen, dining room, home bar, media room – wherever good libations are enjoyed!

The latest in my series of road sign cross stitch patterns and kits are now available in my Etsy shop! This pattern and kit is based on a “No Truck Passing” sign found all over Europe.

A nice feature of the photo above is that my husband actually stitched this example – his first real project! Well done, darlin’…

This is just the latest of a long series of these European road signs. I’ve been concentrating more on the US Highway signs lately, but there are some very fun patterns from Europe:

No Horns (pattern and kit) can be seen outside some small towns in Italy. I think it would make a great gift for new moms who are looking for something a little different than the typical “Quiet! Baby sleeping” sign.

The KM 0 sign (pattern and kit), based on the sign outside a Galician bar) would make an ideal present for people starting a new phase – new grads, newlyweds, first time homeowners…

The Ruta del Vino sign (pattern and kit) comes from the Rioja region of Spain and is perfect for your favorite oenophiles (wine lovers)!

and the Cycle Lanes pattern (pattern and kit) is for all your favorite bicyclists!

One of my personal faves is this “Cambio de Sentido” sign (pattern and kit). While it signifies “at the next exit, you can turn around to go in the opposite direction,” it looks a lot like someone flipping the bird.

Train enthusiasts would like this railroad crossing sign from the U.K. (pattern and kit),

and this High Wind Warning sign (pattern and kit) is another personal favorite. I think it’s perfect as a gift for Chicagoans, lawyers, or possibly a mother-in-law. Also, can you see this hanging in a bathroom? You bet!

All of the road sign cross stitch patterns and kits (US Highways included) are sized to fit inside standard frames, and are detailed enough to look good while not taking forever to stitch. They would be a bright and fun way to decorate an office, media room, or kid’s bedroom. The patterns can also be used to make needlepoint projects or even quilts… Check ’em out!

I’ve started on what I hope will be a long series of very fun European road sign cross stitch patterns!

My husband and I have been fortunate to be able to live in and spend time traveling throughout Europe over the past 5 years. Along our travels, mostly though Spain, the U.K., Italy, and France, I’ve managed to gather photos of some unique and unusual signs (at least to us on the left side of the pond). One of my goals of 2013 is to turn many of those signs into patterns and kits. As of Tuesday February 26th, I’ll have five patterns in my Etsy shop, and more coming all the time.

I’m hoping there will be patterns that appeal to everyone – from kids to grandparents, drivers, hikers, wine lovers, newlyweds, new moms, and aficionados of the fun and unusual.

One of my personal favorites is the “No Horns” sign you see at the left in the photo. This is a road sign I’ve seen outside of some small villages in Italy. I’ve always been charmed by the antique style of the bicycle horn in the sign and it makes me smile every time I see one. The signs are somewhat rare these days, so I wanted to stitch one for myself. I think this would be a very fun “be quiet” sign for new moms with sleeping babies.